The Olympic opening ceremony is Friday evening in London, but the Games themselves kick off Wednesday in Cardiff, Coventry and Glasgow. There, a dozen women’s soccer teams will begin pursuit of a gold medal, including the two-time defending champion United States.

The American women will go it alone in the U.K. thanks to the U.S. Under-23 national team’s failure to qualify for the men’s competition. In addition to the spotlight, the U.S. women will have ample motivation. It has been a year since the top-ranked U.S. lost the Women’s World Cup final to Japan, and the goal this summer is clear: Get back to the accustomed place atop the medal podium.

“In terms of a championship itself, it’s the exact same. At the end of the day, all you want is to do is hear your national anthem as the flags go up,” U.S. star Abby Wambach told Sporting News. “It means you’re a world champion.”

THE SCHEDULE

In group play, the U.S. faces France in a rematch of last year’s Women’s World Cup semifinal (Wednesday in Glasgow at noon ET), then Colombia (Saturday in Glasgow at noon ET) and North Korea (July 31 in Manchester at 12:15 p.m. ET). All three games will be televised by NBC Sports Network.

Eight of the 12 entrants will qualify for the quarterfinals beginning Aug. 3. If the U.S. finishes first in Group G, as expected, it would play in Newcastle. The semifinals are Aug. 6 with the bronze and gold medal matches to take place Aug. 9, three days before the closing ceremony.

THE HISTORY

This is the fifth tournament since women’s soccer first was included in the Olympics in 1996. That summer, a year after falling in the Women’s World Cup semis, the U.S. went 4-0-1 and captured the gold medal with a win over China.

Since then, the pattern has persisted. World Cup failure led to Olympic success and vice versa. In 2000, the world champion U.S. settled for silver in Sydney after an overtime loss to Norway. Four years later, following another semifinal defeat at the World Cup, the Americans beat Brazil for gold in Athens. The same scenario unfolded in 2008 in Beijing.

Overall, the U.S. is 17-2-3 in Olympic competition with both losses coming to Norway. Eleven of the 18 players on the 2012 roster won gold in ’08, and six will be making their Olympic debut. Only one, forward Sydney Leroux, didn’t play in the ’11 Women’s World Cup. Captain Christie Rampone, 37, will be playing in her fourth Olympics.

THE FAVORITE

Five weeks ago, that was a much tougher question. World champion Japan, riding high following last summer’s stirring triumph in Germany, had crafted a three-game unbeaten streak vs. the U.S. and appeared to have the Americans’ number.

But on June 18 in Sweden, the U.S. thumped Japan, 4-1, as Wambach and Alex Morgan each scored twice.

The balance of power appears to have shifted again. The Japanese hex is over. Sweden, which traditionally plays the U.S. tough, lost the past two games between the sides by a combined score of 7-1. France remains an emerging power, Brazil can’t win the big one and ’03 and ’07 Women’s World Cup champion Germany failed to qualify (Europe had three spots, one went to host Great Britain and the others to UEFA’s two World Cup semifinalists).

The U.S., 14-1-1 this year, now is the clear favorite to win a third consecutive gold medal.

“I just think the U.S. is in a really good place,” former national team coach Tony DiCicco said.

DiCicco, the ’99 World Cup winner, has been critical of the U.S. in recent years but now says current coach Pia Sundhage has solved some of the issues that plagued the squad last summer.

“They still have a bad taste in their mouth from last year, and they’re bringing all that frustration and competitive anger into this event,” he told Sporting News. “This is, I think, one of the great U.S. teams.”

THE U.S. OUTLOOK

The clear difference between this U.S. side and the one that finished second last summer is the emergence of Morgan as fearsome goal-scoring threat and a perfect foil for the bruising Wambach.

At the Women’s World Cup in Germany, it generally was Wambach or bust. Now, with the speedy Morgan stretching defenses or latching on to the balls Wambach wins in the penalty area, the U.S. is almost unstoppable.

Morgan, 23, has 17 goals this year and nine in the past seven games.

“I think one thing that I remember in 2004 is that Mia (Hamm) and I complemented each other, and I think that’s what Alex and I have now,” Wambach said during a conference call from the U.K. “She takes a more little bit more attention off of my back, and I know that she’s making a name for herself. ... Hopefully, she can continue on through these Olympics.”

Sundhage also now relies on the more skillful Lauren Cheney as a distributor and playmaker in central midfield. That gives midfielder Megan Rapinoe, so effective in a reserve role at the World Cup, the opportunity to start on the left flank.

If there’s vulnerability, it’s on defense, where the U.S. will miss injured right back Ali Krieger (knee). But goalkeeper Hope Solo, Rampone & Co. won’t have to be perfect—just good enough to give the high-octane offense the support it needs.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kelley O’Hara. In addition to Morgan, another key difference between this U.S. squad and last year’s could be O’Hara, an attacking star at Stanford who has been converted into an outside back by Sundhage. What she lacks in defensive experience she makes up for in speed, a quality missing on defense at the World Cup.

Marta. Her five-year reign as FIFA women’s world player of the year was ended by Japan’s Homara Sawa in ’11, and Brazil’s meltdown in the epic quarterfinal loss to the U.S. last summer might have been a sign that its championship window is closing. But the 26-year-old still has technique no woman on earth can match, and if lessons were learned last summer, she certainly could stand between the U.S. and the gold.

Kelly Smith. She will be the hometown hero, a 33-year-old native of the London suburb of Watford. She starred in both the WUSA and WPS and has been one of the most complete attacking players of the past decade. Smith has been injury prone, but when healthy she offers a rare combination of flair and force. The Olympics could be the underappreciated veteran midfielder’s last major tournament.

Louisa Nécib. France plays the most skillful game in Europe, and it revolves around playmaker Nécib. The 25-year-old was a breakout star at the Women’s World Cup and is one of 11 French players from two-time defending UEFA Women’s Champions League winner Olympique Lyonnais. Her composure, vision and familiarity with her teammates might make her a handful for the U.S. in Wednesday’s opener.

Aya Miyama. Sawa remains the face of the world champions, but Miyama, 27, could be Japan’s best player. The energetic left midfielder is deadly on crosses and free kicks and opportunistic in the attack—U.S. fans will remember her for the 81st-minute goal that forced the Women’s World Cup final into overtime. She has 28 goals in 114 international appearances and will look to lead Japan to its first Olympic medal in soccer.